Economic Turn

Be fair, attentive, and customers
will return.

The economic turn down has
hurt main street, your street, and
mine. Still, it has taught us
how to survive it, a crisis.

"It's just been hard." You said.

Let's look at the positive side.

You learned how to prioritize.
There isn't anymore wasteful
spending. The economic turn
down requires you to figure
out how much you have,
where it's needed most,
and then use money wisely.

You learned how to budget.
It means you learned to manage
yourself, life better. The
results are life is less
stressful, and more meaningful.

There are countless ailments
involved with being stressed
out.

Less money to spend stops
you from eating out, or not
as often. Simply, cut-out
spending on anything that
isn't necessary to live
life, or sustain life.

You learned discipline. It
points to the fact that you
learned to say "no" to wasting.

Perhaps, you are sharing living
arrangements due to the economic
turn down. It's possible you're
closer to family, because you
opened your living space to
them. Enjoy time with them
that you couldn't otherwise.

If the arrangement didn't turn
out well, you were willing to
help. Yes, learn from that
too.

"What is there to learn?"
You asked.

Rules are required. Did you
set any? Boundaries have to
be respected.

Look at what happened, and
figure out how to improve
the situation. Or, just give
the person space. The person
could have a change of attitude
after thinking his/her situation
through.

Use your new skill. Teach
others how to use money
wiser.

Start with a friend, neighbor.
Advertise your service by
word-of-mouth.

Word-of-mouth advertising
spreads like wild-fire. It can
provide better coverage than
a paid ad. Later, when funds
allow, place ads.

"How will I teach?" You
questioned.

Explain what you learned
from the economic turn
down. Walk through it
step by step.

Buy an item used often in bulk.
Advise how doing so will save
money, for example. Try the
store brand, and stop using
name brands. Make a list
before shopping. Stick to it.

Give for instances in your
life before you learned from
the economic turn down.

Ask questions, get people
involved with telling about
their habits prior to the
economic turn down.

Everyone will laugh, enjoy
your class.

Ask for feed-back. Feed-back
helps you. You'll learn
what people want to know.

Turn ideas upside down, inside
out, and side-ways. Get as much
use as possible out of it.

You taught a class at home.
Take the focus of the class
to someone's house who didn't,
for whatever reason, attend.
Ask your new client to invite
his/her friends.

It's possible you'll get a bigger
customer base.

In closing, scoop-up what you
have learned from the economic
turn down, and profit from it.

How To Make Money

Be fair, attentive, and customers
will return.

Let's face it, we are in hard
economic times. Still, some
are making money, and
starting their own businesses.
It requires determination,
and thinking out of the
box.

"What do you mean?" You
asked.

You can make money taking
surveys. Link to someone else's
product, and the list goes on.

Is it right for you? Will you
make money? Is it something
that would motivate you to
go the extra mile, even
introduce family to?

If the answer is yes,
great!

If you responded with a no
answer, keep reading.

Are you making cookies at home,
and people are buying them?
Maybe, you write greetings, and
others are interested. You take
care of a child. People are
coming to you for advice, and
want to pay you for listening.
All you're doing is giving your
opinion. You have started a
business.

"I don't understand." You said.

The cookies you are baking can
become a bigger business.
Ask the people who are buying
your product to tell others.
Place flyers at places you
frequent.

Do some research about your
area, and see if it's feasible
to start a bakery.

If not, continue to make
money by selling cookies.

People are asking you to
write greetings in time of
a death, graduation, anniversary,
other occasions. This is the
time to start your business.

Take it further. Check-out the
greeting card section at
stores. What cards are most
like yours? Get names and
addresses. Write the greeting
card company for guidelines.

You take care of a child.
Look into caring for more
children. You have started
your business. Take it to
the next level.

You're making money at
home. It is something you
take pleasure in doing.

Family members can join
you in your business. It
saves money. Although, they
will want to share in the
profits, or get paid.

Put everything in writing.
List what family members
or anyone else contribute,
and is promised in return.

Memories fade. Avoid
confusion by recording
every move made in the
business.

Don't be afraid to go the
extra step with a hobby,
or an activity you're doing
already. In an economic
downturn, make money
at what you like to do, are
doing. In reality, you have
started a business.

Better Business Bureau Issues Acai Berry Warning

Be fair, attentive, and customers
will return.

I've tried it in capsule form.
I didn't see any noticeable
difference. I decided to not
re-purchase.

I didn't use the trial order
method.

The following was reported by
Maria M. Perotin, Star Telegram.

Lose weight! Prevent cancer!
Fight Alzheimer’s disease with
acai berries! It worked for your
favorite celebrity!

Never heard of acai? With just a
quick search on the Internet, you
can read countless pitches for the
dark Brazilian berry.

There’s so much buzz, in fact, that
the Better Business Bureau at Fort
Worth this week issued a warning to
consumers.

Makers of acai supplements have
reeled in thousands of consumers
nationwide with "free" trial offers,
only to follow up with month after
month of unwanted credit card charges,
said John Riggins, chief executive
of the Fort Worth bureau.

One Arlington-based company —
FXSupplements.com — has drawn 139
complaints from consumers since November.

FX offers customers a free trial but
then quickly starts imposing charges
of about $80 a month, sometimes before
consumers have even received their
first bottle of Acai Maxx in the
mail, Riggins said.

"The people getting burned on this
really badly are the ones getting
charged over and over and over,"
Riggins said. "They can’t get the
company to pick up the phone or
answer an e-mail."

On Tuesday, the toll-free phone
number that’s listed on FX’s Web
site was disconnected.

An employee who answered a
separate phone number for Acai
Maxx billing inquiries said the
company wouldn’t comment except
to written questions sent by
mail to its Arlington address.

Riggins also raised concerns about
some acai sellers’ claims about the
products’ benefits and about implied
endorsements from Oprah Winfrey and
other celebrities who haven’t
actually suggested the berry is
a cure-all.

"The actual abilities of the
product are unknown right now,
really," he said. "Some really
far-reaching claims are just
unsubstantiated."

Touted among the latest weight-loss
crazes, acai is available in pills,
powders, fruit smoothies and even
as frozen pulp.

Amy Goodson, a dietitian at Texas
Health Harris Methodist Hospital
Fort Worth, said acai is the latest
in a string of exotic "super fruits"
that are marketed as if they have
unique abilities.

In fact, many fruits — even the humble
banana — are chock-full of many of
the same vitamins, minerals and
antioxidants.

"Do I think that this is a healthy
fruit? Sure," Goodson said. "Is it
going to cure every disease and
keep you from getting a disease?
By no means."

Nicole Chase, a dietitian at Plaza
Medical Center of Fort Worth, said
people can consume all the nutrients
they need by eating a variety of
healthy foods, without adding any
expensive supplements.

Her weight-loss advice: Eat small meals,
with lots of fiber, fruits and
vegetables. Avoid foods that are fried
or smothered in sauces. And get regular
exercise.

Goodson also cautioned against fad diets.

"If it just pops out and it’s on the front
of every magazine, probably be leery of
that," she said. "At the end of the day,
it’s eating well and exercising, which is
not usually what people technically want
to hear."

http://www.star-telegram.com/855/story/1127053.html

How To Survive A Recession

Be fair, attentive, and customers
will return.

The first step to survive a
recession is attitude. The
thought of I will survive
should play-over in your
mind.

Write the words down on paper.
Place them on your night-stand,
computer, clock, and where you
can easily see the words. Look
at them when the recession
knocks on your business door.

Customers are the life-line of
your business. You'd like to
keep all of your customers,
but the survival of your business
stops you.

People who have problems paying,
let them go. They will sink you,
and your business. Don't let a
customer's over-do balance go
anywhere near thirty days. You
can't afford it if your business
is to survive the recession. It
is impossible to have customers
sixty, ninety, days due, and
survive. Your business will be
engulfed by the recession.

Pay attention to your costs. I'm
referring to every cent you are
spending on paper clips, for
example. Paper clips can be used
over and over. Don't throw them
away after one use. Look at the
amount of paper cups, paper
towels, used. Do you need to
buy paper cups? Cut back where
you can. You'll be amazed at how
cutting back adds up to big savings.

There is an aspect of your business
that shouldn't be cut during a
recession.

"You just said cut back." A few
reminded me.

Yes, I did. During a recession,
people buy. In order for them
to know about your product or
service, advertising is a must.
Keep your ad going. Only,
advertise where people are
seeing it.

"How do I know where people are
seeing my ad?"

Ask them.

If possible, advertise more.
Remember, customers are the life-
line of a business, recession or
not. The survival of your business
depends on people, customers.

Keep employees aware of your
business circumstances, their
jobs. They will appreciate it,
and work harder.

In closing, survive a recession
by keeping a positive attitude,
let problem customers go, be
mindful of costs, advertise, and
advise employees of the business
situation, their jobs.

How To Handle A Customer Problem

Be fair, attentive, and customers
will return.

It's not always easy to handle a
customer problem, but it's a part
of during business. This is the
time to show patience, understanding.

It's extremely important to listen.

"What if they get irate?" You
asked.

Let a customer vent.
Face it, in this economic
down-turn, he or she can
take their business
elsewhere.

Don't allow yourself to get
into a word battle. You're
there to resolve the
customer's problem, and
have he/she spread nice
comments about you,
your business.
It's called free advertising.

Let customers say
what they have to.

Don't give excuses.
Apologize. Be professional.
Start working on the problem,
immediately.

Explain what the customer
can expect. If necessary,
pull in someone else to help
resolve the problem.

If at any moment you feel
the need to be confrontational,
stop. Tell the customer
you'd like to find out what
happened, etc. Take a few
moments to relax, took a
deep breath.

Be sure to let the customer
know you'll going to work on
the problem. Make the
customer resolution a priority.

Make sure a problem exists.
Or, is it something the customer
misunderstood. Your results
must be explained to the
customer.

Economic Turn-Down Survival Tips

Be fair, attentive, and customers
will return

Center your attention on customers.
The customers that are up-to-date,
current, offer them discounts,
sales. These are the people you
want to
direct your product or service
at. Keep in touch with them.

Keep customers coming back
by creating a game where they
can play everyday for your
product, service, give discount
coupons, gift certificates,
and free wares.

A contest will keep
them coming back to your
product or service. They try
to win, but purchase if they
don't.

Handle any misunderstandings
with care, quickly. Your
business survival depends on
it.

In an economic turn down, there
are other places customers can
spend their money.

However, smart business owners
survive by making customers
feel appreciated, wanted.

Happy customers come back, and
tell their friends. It means
more profits for you, your
business.


It's very important to screen
customers. Business
survival demands it. You
want the good customers.
The customers that pay
on time.

Don't let customers go
thirty-five days without
notice.

Likewise, economic survival
demands you pay on time
as well. A delay makes it
harder on you.

Keep your team, employees,
aware of circumstances.
Foster a team environment.
Everyone works together
to survive the economic
turn down.

In closing, pay attention
to good customers. Offer
contests, and other offers
to keep their interest,
business.

Stay on top of payment
habits of customers.
Make sure your payment
habits are good.

It's a must that everyone
in your organization,
business, works together.
Keep them advised to the
status of your business,
their employment.

How To Survive An Economic Turn-Down

Be fair, attentive, and customers
will return.

This is the time to take a stand.
Don't give-up your dream when
the economy hiccups. Yes, I
know it's hard.

I will survive thoughts should
blanket your mind. Place
those words on paper.
Tack them to your office door,
computer, desk, information
board, wall, mirror, or
where you can easily
see them.

Think pass the economic
hard times.

Avail yourself to networks.
Don't be ashamed to ask
for business.

It's a must to cut costs.
Anyone not contributing
is moved, or terminated.

People who have been
with you, the company,
for a long time draws
stress when the
T word is considered.

However, in economic
hard times, tough decisions
are made for your business
to survive. Sometimes,
old employees are terminated.

If an employee isn't working
well with his/her new
department, you have to
make the termination choice.

Perhaps, when times are
better, re-hire him or her.

Is it possible for you to
get a more fitting offer
from suppliers?

Contact creditors. Adjust
your payment habits, make
better or bigger payments.

"Why?" You asked out-loud.

It will reduce costs.

All staff members have to
do more, or accept the
alternative. The alternative
is termination.

The most important part
of your business is your
customers. Get to know
them. Inquire about how
he/she found you, your
product or service.

Direct your advertising to
where customers are seeing
it, and stop spending
elsewhere.

Your business survival is at
stake. You can't afford to
be concerned about how
measures look. Keep your
staff informed as to what
is happening with the business.

If the staff feels apart of your
business survival, they will
work harder. They will do
what's best for the business,
their jobs.

The economy will recover,
but it's necessary to swing-low
with it, and rise when it does.

In closing, you survive in an
economic turn-down by using
common sense measures.
Keep the survival attitude,
network harder, anyone not
meeting the quota is moved
or terminated, and keep
everyone aware of what's going
on with the business.